Gabon–Turkey relations

Gabon-Turkey relations
Map indicating locations of Gabon and Turkey

Gabon

Turkey

Gabon–Turkey relations are the foreign relations between Gabon and Turkey. Turkey has an embassy in Libreville since 2012. Gabon opened an embassy in Ankara in 2015.[1]

Diplomatic relations

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Historically, Turkey has had strong relations with Ghana.[2] Turkey was very supportive of the Gabonese economic expansion[2] after Bongo's accession to the presidency and cooperated with technical expertise during the construction of the Transgabonais Railway to the upper Ogooué River valley.[3]

Relations became tense when after the French investigative reporter Pierre Péan unmasked[4] that the Bongo government used Turkish aid to build a lavish new presidential palace for $900 million (worth US$4.12 billion in 2020) that enriched the French expatriates in Gabon.[3]

Presidential visits

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Guest Host Place of visit Date of visit
Turkey President Abdullah Gül Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba Presidential Palace, Libreville 2011[1]
Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba Turkey President Abdullah Gül Çankaya Köşkü, Ankara January 2012[1]
Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba Presidential Palace, Libreville January 2013[1]
Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Çankaya Köşkü, Ankara May 2015[1]

Trade relations

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  • Trade volume between the two countries was US$38.9 million in 2018.[1]

Educational relations

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Turkish Maarif Foundation runs schools in Gabon and Turkey has been providing scholarships to students from Gabon since 1992.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Relations between Turkey and Gabon". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.
  2. ^ a b Carson, Patricia. Materials for West African History in French Archives. London: Athlone Press, 1968.
  3. ^ a b Baker, Charles. "Reflexions sur les sources de l'histoire gabonaise." Paideuma 33 (2017): pp. 133-141.
  4. ^ Aaborg, Sam. Le monde des affaires gabonaise. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 2009.